Apparatus for applying tension and/or pressure to material



1950 c. c. MARTIN 2,533,025

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING TENSION AND/0R PRESSURE T0 MATERIAL Filed July 19, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 5, 1950 c. c. MARTIN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING TENSION AND/OR PRESSURE T0 MATERIAL 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 19, 1945 Ni ENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Dec. 5, 1950 Filed July 19, 1945 c c MARTIN 2,533,025

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING TENSION AND/0R PRESSURE T0 MATERIAL 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

MAR APPL URE T TlN 2,533,025 YING TENSION 0 MATERIAL c. c. APPARATUS F AND/0R PR Dec. 5, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 19, 1945 INVENTOR. mg1mmm,

Patented Dec. 5, 1950 APPARATUS FOR APPIZYING TENSION AND/R rnEs-sURE oMaTnaIAn 1 Charles 0. Martin, Cleveland HeightsQUhio, as-

. signer to The Cieveland Chain and Man u fac "tiiring Company,'Garfield'fieightsgghio a or por'ation of Ohio Application July 19, 1945, Serial No. 605,864

1 s This invention relates to a testing apparatus. More particularly, it comprises an apparatus adapted to engage material and apply tensionor pressure thereto under precision control. .;'Ifhe invention includes sources of high and 110W pressure and means for combining same and-for equalizing such p essures. It also includes governors and relief valves at critical points of the'system wherein injury to any of such units will be avoided. The invention also has in view the elimination of back pressure in the system which would interfere with accurate readings as to the amount of power used in the making of the various tests. V Q The-principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved testing apparatus adapted for applying force to various articles to be tested or to be modified inform or structure. Another object of the invention is to provide animproved apparatus peculiarly adapted for the elongating and testing of heavy duty chains such as ships anchor chains and the like,w here by uniformity of chain structure will result and wherein the various steps of appl'yrngan elongatingforce will be under precision-control at all times. I

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus adapted for-testingand the like, wherein relatively high speed of operation may becarried-on and wherein back pressures and fluid friction may be reduced to negligible factors as affecting the precisionread ings of the amount of power applied. I

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved hydraulically operated testing ma critical points and wherein'full provision is made toeliminate back pressure at any point in-th control system. e a Another object of the invention is to provide a pair of four-Way valves mutually interrelated so that dial pressure may be equalized on the record- 7 Claims. (01713 97) indicator gauge;- an d ing instruments, and areas of fluid. friction related ends, said invention consists of the means hereinafter fullyadescribedand. particu:

larly pointed out in-the claims'ft'he annexed drawings and the following description setting forth in detail certain structures embodying'the invention, such disclosed means constituting",

however, but several of various forms in which the prinoiple ofthe inventionma'yjbe u's'ed.'. j.".. ln-saicl an ne xed drawingsz7 T f Fig. l is -afrontl .elevation showing the control indicator joo ard'of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic {plan view showing a testing channelway witl ithe hydraulic cylinder and control indicator "-bOal'd embodying the principlesofthe invention .fl. f... Fig v 3 is a plan 'jew of T he beat "frame and cylinder mgunting'of apparatus, enlarged I s Fig e. is a cent'ral longitudinal sectional view of the structureshown' in' Figure 3;" takenalo-ng the line ql4 ;th e reof;] i a I if.

Fig. 5 is a; iagrammatic view showing the cylinder and -control system for the elongating and testing apparatus embodying the features of the invention, parts being broken away;

V Fig. 6,isan enlarged vertical sectional m e hambe Fig. Zis an enlarged vertical sectional view of the pressure equalizer unit;

-- Fig. 8 is a perspective view of view of the elongating Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of a chain anchorage member. s As is clearly shown in the drawings, particularly in Figures 1 and. 2, the apparatus providesa channelway VI comprising a heavy rectangular elongated frame, 2 within one end of which is an adjustable fixed cross-head ,or abutment 3 to which a chain length 4 ,or other :objects to be elongated and tested may be attached, andthe other end supporting a hydraulic cylinder. 5 with a piston, 6 connected to a piston rod 'l carrying a movablecross-head or abutment,8. Thecylinderj is connected to a hydraulic control and safety system 9. lil; indicates a control and indicator board, which; carries, a lowirange dial 1 I a high range dial I2 and. also a total pressure range dial I3 on its upper: area; cut-off valves l4, l5 and I6; areprovided .forf there; spective dials just referred to. ll indicates a switch for the circuit leading to. a motor, Ila. and 18 indicates junction box for .the current supply lines (not shown), the switch and box heingmounted at the upper right-hand side of the control and indicator board. A throttle lever I 9 islprovide d; at, the leftl and side of the'i'ap paratus for operating a valve and controlling the system. The lever I9 has three positions of control, for example, the inner position toward the right (as viewed in Fig. 5) the piston 6 is moved outwardly to apply pressure on the chain length, the central or neutral position in which the supply of pressure is cut oil and toward the left wherein pressure on the chain length is relieved and the piston 6 is moved to its normal position. A filling tank for the oil supply is provided centrally of the front lower area. The motor Ila is preferably mounted at the rearward side of the control and indicator board H] in a central position driving a heavy duty compression pump 22 at one end of its axial shaft and a suction pump 23 at the opposite end of its shaft. In the system illustrated operating up to a pressure of 250 tons a high pressure pump of one and one-quarter gallons per minute has been used and a low pressure pump with a capacity of seventeen gallons per minute.

The construction and operation of the various parts will be best understood by reference to the diagrammatic view shown in Figure 5, wherein the cylinder 5 is connected with the control system 9 by the inlet high pressure line 24 at the forward end of the cylinder and also by the low pressure suction line 25 at the rearward end of the cylinder. The diagrammatic view shows the pressure cylinder 5 connected through the line i 24 and a four-way throttle valve 21 with the low pressure pump 23 and through the line 28 with the storage tank 38 and also through the line .40 to the high pressure pump 22 which in turn is connected with the storage tank of oil 39.

The pumps serve to exert pressure through the pressure line 24 against the piston 6 within the cylinder 5, and the suction side of the pumps is connected with the suction line 25 operating through a four-way valve 26 and line 4'! with the intake side of the pumps 22, 23, to relieve back pressure on the rear side of the piston 6. The lever I9 is connected by linkage [9a with the four-way valve 26 so as to operate the valves 21 and 26 in synchronism, that is, when the levers l9, 19a, are moved to the right pressure is supplied from the pumps 22, 23, through a mixer 4| (later referred to) and line 24 to the inner side of the piston 5 and discharged from the rear side of the latter through valve 25 to the intake of pumps 22, 23, and when the levers [9, Ida, are moved to the left pressure is supplied by pumps 22, 23, through by-pass 32, and line 25 to the rear side of the piston 6 to move the latter to its normal position and liquid in the cylinder 5 is discharged through lines 24, 28, to tank 30. The pressure indication is carried to the dials through a manifold 28 connected by the line 28a with a pressure equalizer 29 positioned between the four-way valves 27: and 26, and connected through the line 3! with a high pressure line 24 on one side and with the back pressure lines 32, l l, on the other side.

The manifold 28 is connected through the pressure line 33 and through a relief valve 34 to the low range dial H. The manifold 28 is also connected by a pressure line 35 to the full range dial [3 centrally of the instrument board, which dial is adapted to register the full tension of 250 tons. The manifold 28 is also connected by the pressure line 36 with the upper range dial I2. The line 36 is provided with a relief valve or governor 31. The relief valves 34 and 31 are connected by the line 38 through a manifold 39 with the pressure line All of the high pressure pump 22. As later set forth, the line 40 and a line 42 leading from the low pressure pump 23 discharges fluid into the mixer 4|, so that the system receives high and low pressure oil from both pumps until the pressure range exceeds the capacity of the low pressure pump 23 when all increments of pressure are supplied by the high pressure pump 22. A line d3 returns fluid from the manifold 39 through the branch line M to the low pressure pump 23 and thence through the system to the high pressure line 24. Any excess of pressure passes through the branch line 45 to the oil storage tank 3%.

A line 46 is provided to supply extra oil to the four-way valve is when required. The suction line of the four-way valve 26 returns to the pumps through the pipe M and also has a direct connection with the tank through the pipe 49.

The mixer all is illustrated in Figure 6 and comprises a body member 5| of solid material of somewhat pea-r shape, having a large drilled passageway 52 extending inwardly from one end to a point approximately midway where such passageway communicates with two drilled passageways 53, 5 spaced from each other and having a large area of communication with the passageway 52. The passageway 53 may be connected with the line 42, and the passageway 5 may be closed by a plug 55. The enlarged portion of the body is provided with passageways 56, 5'1, drilled at a downward inclination (as viewed in Fig. 6) toward the passageway 52 and intersectmg, respectively, the passageways 53 and 54. The passageway 56 may be connected with the line 25 and the passageway 51 with the line 463. Thus, the mixing chamber may be readily fabricated and is adapted to withstand heavy pressures.

The equalizer mechanism 29 is illustrated in Figure 7 and comprises a body member 6| having a central passageway 82. The central cylindrical passageway 62 extends through the body member 61 and is adapted to receive a valve element G3 freely movable within the passageway 62 in response to the fluid pressures imposed upon the opposite ends thereof. The lower end of the piston rests against an adjustable support 64 connected with the fluid line 3! which is secured to the base of the body member by means of a plate 65 seated in a countersunk recess in the body member. At the upper end of the body member is an end plate 66 similar to the end plate 65 and seated in a countersunk recess at the adjacent end of the body member. The end plates and the body member are provided with a plurality of aligned passageways 6?, 68, and 69 adapted to receive suitable bolts or other fastening members to firmly hold the end plates against the body member. The end plate 66 serves as a means for connecting the short fluid passageway ll with the passageway 62. The body member is provided at a point spaced slightly above the member 64 with a transverse passageway 12, with which the fluid line 2810. leading to the manifold 28 is connected. It will be noted that the valve element 63 prevents free passageway for fluid through the central passageway 62, but that under certain conditions of adjustment it will permit the passage of fluid from the fluid line 3! to the fluid line 28a thus equalizing the indications on the dials through the balancing of the pressures within the equalizing chamber. Thus violent fluctuations of the dial indicating pointers will be avoided, and precision readings may be eediinmedaet ny: ie e. i f iei9 isteil9ih fl cured; suitable 'fastening. eleme'n'tsto the base, andthe pointer 83; will indicate. with great pre cisionthe exa'ct amount of elongation produced through the use of the apparatus.

Thehead 8 of the piston rod 1 is prefer-ably notdirectlysecuredto the article to be tested,

but as shown in Figure 9, is engaged therewith,

by means ofan anchorage bar 94. Where heavy chain is to be tested, the anchorage bar may be provided at its free end With an enlarged box type clamping element 95 having a pair of jaws a 9B between which a link 91 of the chain may be engaged, the adjacent links resting upon a plate 93 engageable. withinslideways 99 at each side of the box type clamping element.

Thereadings obtained on this apparatus are extremely accurate and. the'dials record the pressure with a minimum of oscillation. of the indicating hands.

The apparatusherein set forth has been constructed and tested as a full size operative machine and the stretching or elongation of a ha n en an eam d t wit excepfidnel accu ac and thaful y. de enda P Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of those explained, provided the means employed fall within the scope of the following claims.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. An apparatus of the character described having in combination a frame structure providing a tensile testing and elongating channelway, a fixed abutment at one end of said channelway, a movable abutment associated with a hydraulic cylinder at the other end of said channelway, a piston within said cylinder con nected with said movable "abutment, and fluid pressure means arranged to act on one side of said piston for moving said movable abutment away from said fixed abutment, said fluid pressure means consisting of a source of high pressure fluid supply, a source of low pressure fluid supply, means for combining the supplied high and low pressure fluids, a fluid passageway between said combining means and one end of said cylinder for supplying the fluid thereto, the low pressure fluid serving to move the piston at high speed to the point of application of the high pressure fluid thereto, and a valve interposed in said passageway for controlling fluid flow therethrough.

2. An apparatus of the character described having in combination a frame structure providing a tensile testing and elongating channelway. a fixed abutment at one end of said chanthereadings obtainable through. 1 is l'desirable tofl'iave a 'clireetr'eali'in's' o f rthe amountof elongation, or .in' 's'oniein-f stances, of the amount of compression produced by the apparatusp One meansof accomplishing jec t illustrated in. Figure 8,- whereini the pis p rod engaged within the cylinder ,5 i's pro, idedv adjacentj its free eridifiZ withfai'brack'eh 8tjfhaying, a clamp 84 at its' lower end and with f an indicator ,bar 85 i secured] at its upper end by; means of, a fasteningelement T85 The indidator'l bar is-shown. as being b'ent}to right.angles,l and its free end 81, is,,pi fovided with'Ta pointer. 881 mp able overa seriesof graduations 89provided onthe margin. 9i of a recess si fo'rmed in the supporting base, of theapparatus for receiving the;cylinder. Anotched" guide plate 93 is se-" 6 lwev; a m v b e. ab tm nt associa ed ith a hydraulic "cylinder at "the" other jfendioffff I channelway, apiston within said cylinder 00' nectedwith" said movable abutment, 'andl fiuid.

1 pressure means'arr'anged to act'ononef sideot said piston for moving said movable 'abutment' ,ingthe fluid thereto, the low pressure fluid serv ing" to'inovesaid piston atflhigh speed to the" point of application") of "the 'high pressure fluid; a valve interposed in said passageway for con'" trolling fluid flow the'rethrough, a separatep'as sage'way between the opposite end of said cyli'n e der and the intake sides of said sourcesof fluid pressure supplies, a separate valve in said separate passageway and operating cone" nections between said valves arranged to si-" multaneously, operate them in one direction to supply fluid pressure on one side of saidpistonj to move said movable abutment away from said" fixed abutment and relieve pressure onjth e op posite side of said piston, fluidconnections'between said valves, a discharge connection bee tween said first mentioned valve and saidtanlif said operating connections being arrangedjfto operate said valves inthe' opposite direction to reversefluid flow to said cylinder, and conneet'f said first mentioned valve to said separatevalve a'ndsaid tank.

3. An apparatus of the, character described having in combination a fixed support and a" movable support adapted to be engaged by the ends of an article tobe tested or modified, a hydraulic cylinder provided with a piston 'con nected to said movable support, a system of, fluid passageways connected with the opposite ends of said hydraulic'cylinderand adapted respectively to suppl high and low pressure to said cylinder on opposite sides of said piston, a source of low pressure fluid for moving said piston at high speed to a point of application of high pressure to said piston, a source of high pressure fluid associated with said low pressure fluid, means for combining said high and low pressure fluids for moving said piston in one direction, and means for equalizing the pressures of the combined fluids over a portion of said system.

4. An apparatus of the character described having in combination a fixed support and a movable support adapted to be engaged by the ends of an article to be tested or modified, a hydraulic cylinder provided with a piston connected to said movable support, a system of fluid passageways connected with the opposite ends of said hydraulic cylinder and adapted respectively to supply high and low pressure to said cylinder on opposite sides of said piston, a source of low pressure fluid for moving said piston at high speed to a point of application of high pressure to said piston, a source of high pressure fluid associated with said low pressure fluid, means for combining said high and low pressure fluids for moving said piston in one direction, means for equalizing the pressures of the combined fluids over a portion of said system, and means for transferring said high pressure fluid to a source of liquid supply and said low pressure to the outer end of said cylinder to restore the supports to their original relative position.

5. An apparatus of the character described having in combination a fixed support and a movable support adapted to be engaged by the ends of an article to be tested or modified, a hydraulic cylinder provided with a piston connected to said movable support, a system of fluid passageways connected with the opposite ends of said hydraulic cylinder and adapted respectively to supply high and low pressure to said cylinder on pposite sides of said piston, a source of low pressure fluid for moving said piston at high speed to a point of application of high pressure to said piston, a source of high pressure fluid associated with said low pressure fluid, means for combining said high and low pressure fluids for moving said piston in one direction, indicating means to show the degree of pressure applied Within said cylinder, means for equalizing the pressures of the combined fluids over a portion of said system, including said indicating means, and means for transferring said high pressure fluid from a source of liquid supply and said low pressure to the outer end of said cylinder to restore the supports to their original relative position 6. An apparatus of the character described having in combination a fixed support and a movable support adapted to be engaged by the ends of an article to be tested or modified, a hydraulic cylinder provided with a piston connected to said movable support, a system of fluid assageways connected with the opposite ends of said hydraulic cylinder and adapted respectively to supply high and low pressure to said cylinder on opposite sides of said piston, a source of low pressure fluid for moving said piston at high speed to a point of application of high pressure to said piston, a source of high pressure fluid associated with said low pressure fluid, means for combining said high and low pressure fluids for moving said piston in one direction, indicating means to show the degree of elongation, means for equalizing the pressures of the combined fluids over a portion of said system, and means for transferring said high pressure fluid to a source of liquid supply and said low pressure to the outer end of said cylinder to restore the supports to their original relative position.

7. An apparatus of the character described having in combination a fixed support and a movable support adapted to be engaged by the ends of an article to be tested or modified, a hydraulic cylinder provided with a piston connected to said movable support, a system of fluid passageways connected with the opposite ends of said hydraulic cylinder and adapted respectively to supply high and low pressure to said cylinder on opposite sides of said piston, a source of low pressure fluid for moving said piston at high speed to a point of application of high pressure to said piston, a source of high pressure fluid associated with said low pressure fluid, means for combining said high and low pressure fluids for moving said piston in one direction, means for equalizing the pressures of the combined fluids over a portion of said system, and valves for controlling the supply of fluid pressure to the opposite sides of said piston.

CHARLES C. MARTIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 212,734 Olsen Feb. 25, 1879 2,187,914 Reitan Jan. 23, 1940 2,386,989 Summers Oct, 16, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 149,787 Great Britain Aug. 23, 1920 826,900 France Jan. 18, 1938 

